Medication-induced

What is Medication-induced Mitochondrial Damage?

Prescription medications have now emerged as a major cause of mitochondrial damage [1]. Many classes of drugs have been documented to damage mitochondria and mitochondrial damage is now thought to be the underlying mechanism by which many drug side effects occur.

Drug classes shown to cause mitochondrial damage include:

Antibiotics

Statin drugs

Antiviral drugs

Antipsychotics

Antidepressants

Pain medications

Epilepsy medications

Symptoms of Medication-induced mitochondrial damage may include:

Peripheral neuropathy

Chronic fatigue

Muscle pain (myopathy)

Cognitive impairment

Kidney damage

Pancreatitis

Hepatitis

How are Prescription Drugs Linked to Mitochondrial Dysfunction?

One of the original models for medication-induced mitochondrial damage dates back to the original class of HIV/AIDS medications known as reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Several of these drugs (D4T, DDI, AZT), while effective at suppressing the replication of the HIV virus, were also highly effective at poisoning the mitochondria in a variety of cells, including those of the nerves, heart and immune system.

It has also recently been demonstrated that major classes of bactericidal antibiotics (quinolones, aminoglycosides, and β-lactams), induce a common oxidative damage death pathway in bacteria, leading to the production of lethal reactive oxygen species (ROS) via disruption of the Kreb’s cycle and electron transport chain [2]. It makes sense that antibiotics might damage the mitochondria since they are believed to have originally descended from bacteria.

Many side effects from cancer chemotherapy drugs have also been linked to damaging effects on the mitochondria. In addition to directly causing peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs on the mitochondria may also contribute to fatigue and decreased cognitive function in patients after they receive chemotherapy [3].